CVE-2003-1278 in OpenTopic
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting vulnerability (XSS) in OpenTopic 2.3.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary script as other users and possibly steal authentication information via cookies by injecting arbitrary HTML or script into IMG tags.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/06/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2003-1278 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in OpenTopic version 2.3.1, a web-based content management system that was widely deployed in enterprise environments during the early 2000s. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a fundamental web application security weakness that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The specific implementation flaw occurs within the application's handling of user input, particularly when processing image tags that are embedded within user-generated content. The vulnerability demonstrates how insufficient input validation and output encoding can create persistent security risks in web applications that process untrusted data from multiple sources.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of IMG tags within the OpenTopic platform, where remote attackers can inject malicious HTML or script code that gets executed in the context of other users' browsers. When a victim visits a page containing the maliciously injected script within an IMG tag, the browser renders the image tag but also executes the embedded malicious code, which can include JavaScript payloads designed to capture session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform actions on behalf of the authenticated user. The attack vector specifically targets the application's failure to properly sanitize user input that is subsequently rendered in web pages, creating a persistent XSS vulnerability that can be exploited across multiple user sessions and potentially compromise entire user authentication systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the capability to steal authentication information through cookie theft mechanisms that are particularly effective in session management attacks. When users authenticate to the OpenTopic application, their browsers store session cookies that contain authentication tokens necessary for maintaining access to the system. An attacker exploiting this XSS vulnerability can craft malicious scripts that extract these cookies from the victim's browser and transmit them to the attacker's server, effectively allowing complete impersonation of legitimate users and unauthorized access to sensitive information and system functionalities. This vulnerability also enables more sophisticated attacks such as credential harvesting, session hijacking, and privilege escalation within the application's access control model.
Security practitioners should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability, beginning with immediate input validation and output encoding mechanisms that prevent malicious code injection into IMG tags and other user-controllable elements. The recommended mitigation strategies include implementing proper HTML escaping for all user-generated content, employing content security policies to restrict script execution, and deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious script injection attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing strict input validation that filters out potentially dangerous characters and tags, while ensuring that all user inputs are properly sanitized before being stored or rendered in web pages. According to the ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to the T1566 technique of Phishing with Malicious Attachments and T1071.1001 technique of Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols, as it represents a web-based attack vector that leverages user trust to execute malicious code in legitimate web applications. The vulnerability also aligns with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework's Protect function, specifically the key activity of "Configure Data Flow" which emphasizes the importance of controlling and sanitizing data flows within web applications to prevent unauthorized code execution and data exfiltration.